What can I print on?
The quick answer is any natural fi ber or
surface like paper, fabric, unfi nished wood,
stone, leather—with “natural” being the key
word. The cyanotype solution does not bond
well with synthetic fabrics or man-made
materials.
A smooth, tight-weave fabric will give the
best print defi nition, but don’t let that stop you
from investigating other types of cloth. Printed
and patterned fabrics can make for interesting
wet-cyan prints because the cyanotype
solution is transparent and once the fabric is
exposed and rinsed, the blue will visually mix
with the base color(s) in the fabric.
Other Media for
Wet-Cyan
Diff erent fabrics and papers provide
diff erent results, primarily in the deepness
of color. I usually work on a good quality
140 lb. hot press, watercolor paper,
preferring its smoothness, color depth,
and print defi nition. Any paper that can
withstand water will work—old book or
ledger pages, cardstock, tags, etc. I’ve tried
them all, to much delight.()How dark is dark?
When I was fi rst starting out I could not
fi nd any defi nitive answer as to how dark
it should be when you mix and apply the
solution to your desired surface. You’re all set
if you have a darkroom and a safelight ... but
I don’t, do you? I always wait until nighttime
to prep my fabric. Before I turn out the lights,
I protect my work surface and cover the fl oor
or table with plastic sheeting for a drying area.
When it’s time to mix the solution, I turn
on an incandescent lamp across the room
and cover it with fabric to subdue the light.
Fluorescent light emits some UV rays similar
to the sun which risks exposing the solution.Prepare for printing
Following the manufacturer’s directions,
measure equal amounts of each solution into
a plastic or glass container—large enough for
your brush to fi t in—that is dedicated to non-
food use. I fi nd that 2 oz. of each solution is
suffi cient to coat about 6–8 pieces of fabric or
paper, depending on the size and absorbency.
Always have extras ready to coat in case you
have leftover solution, otherwise it’s wasted.
And if you run out before you’re fi nished
coating the fabric, make more solution!
It is best to coat the material several times,
in both directions, until it is completely
covered. The solution is yellowish green
before exposure, so it is quite easily seen if
you’ve missed a spot. I paint the solution onto